To the Editor

June 26, 2012

By Contributor

Community concert

Thank you, Liberty and Maywood students

Kudos to the Liberty High School Singers and the Maywood Middle School Choirs under the direction of Mrs. Robin Wood. Their community concert recently was another example of why Issaquah schools have a reputation for excellence.

Singing selections that ranged from Bach to the Jackson Five, the performance was a treat for everyone attending. The infectious enthusiasm of Mrs. Wood for her students and their individual talents was returned in kind with energy and professionalism from the sixth-graders to the graduating seniors.

Mary Jo Kahler

Sammamish

Golden memories

We appreciated our story being in the paper

We recently submitted a short announcement of our golden wedding anniversary. The next day, we received a call from The Press asking if a reporter could come and interview us. Brittany (Cardoza, a Sammamish Review intern) came and we reminisced about our 50 years of marriage … the gift of memory is a wonderful thing!

There is one small correction: Jack was parade chairman for 10 years, involved for 30. We do love Salmon Days! So thank you for a very nice article. We have enjoyed our 15 minutes of fame!

Jack and Beverly Porter

Issaquah

Plastic bags

Issue shouldn’t have been before the City Council

The June 13 Press editorial reflected support of the plastic bag ban, as voted in by the Issaquah City Council on June 4.

The “delivered” issue of The Press (thus was being more fair than the council) was also the carrier of a petition to allow the “Silent Majority” to sign off and thus allow the community the ability to vote on the issue, which is the proper way to address this hokey bag ban issue, not just five members of the Issaquah community/council — Fred Butler, Stacy Goodman, Tola Marts, Mark Mullet and Paul Winterstein. Keep in mind the next time they come up for re-election.

This bag ban issue should never have been an issue with the Issaquah council, but the driver behind it has his sights set on becoming a state Senate candidate.

But I guess we should not be surprised since the Issaquah council also voted for $16 million for the bridge to nowhere, cancelled the Southeast Bypass and paid $40,000 for those colored strips on the east side of the new fire station.

Incidentally, in a few years that artwork will be hidden, they have planted a tree that will eventually hide the hokey art.

Ken Sessler

Issaquah

Save the plastic instead of the planet?

I am amazed and even saddened there is so much animosity toward reducing waste (plastic and otherwise) by a community that strives for and receives so much “green” recognition, has managed to maintain/retain a downtown salmon hatchery despite so many national hatchery closures and that prides itself as home to “Northwest treasures.” It seems like yesterday we were all shouting “Save the Planet.” Now, there is a local move to “Save the Plastic.”

Humans have been around for about 1.5 million years. Plastic, an amazing, convenient and wonderful invention, has been around only 150 of those. But, in that short time, plastic has increased our dependency on petroleum (an expensive, unrenewable resource), remains the second largest form of nonbiodegradable waste (www.cleanair.org/Waste/wasteFacts.html), costs millions to recycle, and adds thousands of tons to landfills each year, in addition to the killing of more than 100,000 species of wildlife each year (http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Effect-Plastic-Bags-Have-on-the-Death-of-Wildlife&id=3948365).

Being self-employed for more than 30 years, I appreciate everyone’s concern for business, especially in this tough economic climate. However, America has a long, outstanding history of leadership in innovation — space exploration, technology, etc. Shouldn’t “business” be the foremost leader in encouraging such endeavors? Eliminating poor/outdated products/services has always led great companies to produce more forward-thinking, globally connected and profitable ventures.

When websites were first developed, most local businesses delayed, saying it was “too expensive, not mainstream, unnecessary.” One company pursued that venture vigorously right from the start. Today, Issaquah Trophy & Awards/Trophies2Go has been awarded Internet Retailer of the Year and Large Retailer of the Year by the Awards & Recognition Association, with owner Jeff Anderson being called an “Internet Guru” and named Issaquah’s 2012 Business Person of the Year by the chamber of commerce.

Like most of us, I rely on many of the conveniences of plastic bags and products daily. But the cost is dear … to future generations and the planet. It is certain if we do not resolve our past, manage our present or protect our future, we will surely leave a legacy of complacency and waste for future generations to remember us by.

Robin Spicer

Issaquah

Diploma cartoon

Running that was just plain wrong

Three words — incredible, insensitive and irresponsible!

What on earth was the editor of this paper thinking? I cannot believe that in the edition where you recognize the fantastic achievements of so many high school graduates, you have a “drawing” that equates a high school diploma with toilet paper!

While a high school diploma might not be the same as when the editor of this paper was writing on papyrus, it is an important step in developing the future of our community and our nation. In a time when young people need encouragement to move forward, they see this insensitive commentary.

I think The Issaquah Press needs to grow up and visit places like Washington State University in June and see the Imagine Tomorrow competition, where some of the brightest high school students, encouraged by companies that support education from throughout the Northwest complete to take on some of the most difficult challenges of today’s society. You might have a different perspective!

For me this paper is heading straight to the compost pile! You owe the 1,064 graduates, their families and friends more. You owe the advertisers, community leaders, teachers, administrators and taxpayers more than just some apology on the back page. This is just wrong and you need to be held accountable.

Having a free press is a cornerstone of our democracy and, therefore, your voice should be heard. But if you want to be our local paper, you missed the mark. This is not what the community thinks.

You should have been at graduation or at one of the awards presentations to seen the fantastic students in our district. You should have thought for more than a minute about the parents, who are so proud to see their children complete this step in their lives. You should have thought twice about the teachers in the district that have worked countless hours helping to change to the future of our community. You should have thought about the people who have paid taxes, so that our community can have students ready for the challenges of tomorrow.